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As medicinal and recreational marijuana become legal in more states, Alabama now has some of the toughest cannabis laws in the country. Neither medicinal or recreational marijuana is allowed within this state. Until recently though, CBD oil was thought to be legal. In early October, The West Alabama Narcotics Task Force stated that this was not true. They also announced they would be approaching shops that sell CBD, and ordering them to cease and desist.
CBD oil is a concentrate that comes from marijuana. It does not contain any of the THC content that causes people to get high. Instead, it is used to help relieve pain and certain conditions such as anxiety. Due to these properties and the fact that it is not psychoactive, many think it is legal. Under federal regulations, industrial hemp is legal to use and some argue CBD oil falls under this classification.
Alabama’s law enforcement does not agree. The Task Force said in a news conference that any products made from any part of the marijuana plant are illegal in the state of Alabama. They also stated that they would be finding CBD oil sellers in Tuscaloosa and telling them to stop selling.
Tuscaloosa Police Captain Phil Simpson said law enforcement was trying to be as fair as possible. He stated that businesses would be given fair warning and a reasonable amount of time to remove the product from their shelves.
Others think the very nature of the law, regardless of how it is executed, is unfair.
“This is unheard of,” says Mark Polson of Polson & Polson, P.C. “Many innocent people could end up being penalized for doing something they thought was entirely legal. Neither the state nor the county has ever tried to prevent the sale of CBD oil before.”
That certainly was not the case with Tony Bryan, who has been selling CBD Oil in Northport for the past four months. He stated that before opening his shop he spoke with both city officials and law enforcement. He told them what he would be selling, what it could and could not do, and he was still allowed to open business. The new stance confuses him, as it will many others that have been trying to make a living selling CBD oil throughout the state.
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